CA – Alberta Commissioner: Thumb Scanners OK

After an investigation into complaints filed by employees ordered to use thumb and hand-scanners on the job, Alberta privacy commissioner Frank Work said biometric scanning devices do not violate individuals’ privacy, reports Sun Media. Employers are increasingly turning to such systems to manage employee attendance in an effort to reduce paperwork and prevent attendance fraud. Because the systems in question do not retain the thumb or hand prints, Work deemed they do not violate employees’ privacy. [Source] [Investigation Report]

CA – Committee Recommends Amendments to B.C.’s Private Sector Privacy Legislation

A Special Committee recently presented to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia its report arising from the statutory review of B.C.’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Generally speaking, the recommendations in the committee’s report represent only a minimal tweaking of the existing legislation and reflect a perception that the legislation is working well for both individuals and organizations. The recommendations include:

expressly requiring organizations to notify affected individuals of privacy breaches
expressly requiring organizations to be responsible for personal information that they transfer to a third party for processing outside Canada;
restricting the use of “blanket” consent forms by provincially regulated financial institutions;
streamlining PIPA’s complaints processes; and
strengthening the powers of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

[Source] [Special Committee to Review the Personal Information Protection Act]

CA – Rosh Hashanah Cards from Prime Minister Elicit Questions

With three weeks to go until Rosh Hashanah, Jewish Canadians have again begun receiving greeting cards from the Prime Minister (PM), leaving some questioning how the PM’s office knows their names and religious affiliations. “I was a little alarmed at the idea that the government might have some list of Canadian Jews...” said one public servant who received a card at his home in Ottawa. “It doesn’t seem my religion should be the business of any federal government,” he added. The PM sent Rosh Hashanah cards last year, garnering similar reactions. The Tories said they got the names and addresses from community directories, the reports states. [Source]

CA – Nova Scotia Cancels Drivers’ Mental Health Questions

Nova Scotia has pulled a new application form for getting a driver’s licence because of concern over questions it asked about applicants’ psychiatric history. Those who acknowledge they had at some point in their lives -- whether a bout of depression or ongoing schizophrenia – were supposed to give more specific details and then have a doctor complete an assessment and provide further information about their medical history. The old application form, which will be put back into use, asked if people had full use of eyes, ears, hands and feet or had lost consciousness in the past 10 years or had any other medical conditions that could affect driving. [Source]

US – Virginia Supreme Court Says Anti-Spam Law is Too Broad

The Virginia Supreme Court has overturned a Virginia anti-spam law and a lower court spam conviction on the grounds that the state’s anti-spam law violates the defendant’s First Amendment rights to free speech. Jeremy Jaynes was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2005. He was convicted in 2004 on three counts for sending unsolicited commercial email to tens of thousands of AOL customers. He obtained the AOL addresses from a stolen database. The court ruled that the 2003 Virginia anti-spam law is overly broad because it does not distinguish between commercial and political messages and under its purview, the Federalist Papers sent in a similar manner would constitute a violation of the law. [Source] [Source] [Source]

US – Group Wants Incentives for EHR Usage

A group of CEOs representing about 160 U.S. companies is urging Congress to make the adoption of health IT technologies a priority in the coming legislative session. At a briefing in Washington, D.C. last week, the Business Roundtable sought legislative action to provide incentives for healthcare outfits to use electronic health record systems, the reports states. Currently, privacy concerns are holding up bipartisan legislation to create interoperable standards for health IT. [Source]

HK – Researchers Develop Heartbeat-Based Encryption for Implanted Medical Devices

Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong have developed a method of encrypting implanted medical device signals that uses the patient’s own heartbeat pattern as the encryption key. Because of minor fluctuations in people’s heartbeats, an attacker could not record a heartbeat and use it at a later date. [Source] [Source]

US – New Nevada Law Requires Data Encryption

Nevada has passed a new law that, as of October 1, 2008, requires Nevada businesses to encrypt all electronic transmissions (except facsimiles) of a costumer’s personal information if the information is sent outside “the secure system of the business.”Personal information” is a person’s first name or first initial and last name, combined with either the person’s (1) Social Security number, (2) driver’s license or identification card number, or (3) account number, credit card number, or debit card number, combined with any required security code, access code, or password that would permit access to the person’s financial account. The law applies to businesses “in this State [Nevada].” [Source]

EU – Germany to Tighten Laws After Data Theft Scandal

Germany is to tighten data protection laws, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said, responding to revelations that Germans’ personal data can be bought easily on the Internet. Mr. Schaeuble said a working group would draw up proposals on higher fines for data protection violations and tighter rules on the trade with personal and financial information. Germany’s latest privacy scandal was triggered by reports that a call centre employee alerted authorities to a problem with his company’s data collection practices by handing over data on some 17,000 addresses and bank account details to a privacy protection office. Privacy officials have also said they had been able to buy millions of items of personal data, including bank and phone data, undercover on the Internet. Mr. Schaeuble said in future firms would only be able to hand on personal data if consumers had specifically agreed. Existing rules generally allow call centres and others companies to trade personal address data unless consumers say they object. [Source]

EU – Government Forms Data Privacy Group

The Scottish government has created a privacy and security group to study local governments’ handling of citizens’ personal data. The group will develop guidelines for public bodies to follow when handling such data. Growing public unease concerning data breaches and government surveillance prompted the group’s formation. “We recognize the need to ensure public confidence in the public sector’s handling of personal information,” said Scotland’s finance secretary in a statement. Privacy luminaries in the group include Assistant Information Commissioner Ken Macdonald; Jerry Fishenden of Microsoft UK, Rosemary Jay of Pinsent Masons solicitors; and Gus Hosein of LSE and Privacy International. [Source]

EU – Report: ‘Digital Tsunami’ Erodes Privacy

Statewatch has released a 60-page report on what the group deems to be a “frightening” grab for personal information, reports The Telegraph. In “The Shape of Things to Come” report, Statewatch warns that civil liberties and privacy are eroding at a “breathtaking” rate due to post-9/11 policies that see governments hoarding personal data on citizens. Statewatch director Tony Bunyan said: “The national and European states require unfettered powers to access and gather masses of personal data...so that we can all be safe and secure from perceived ‘threats.’ But how are we to be safe from the state itself...?” [Source] [Source] [Report: The Shape Of Things To Come]

UK – Drivers’ Database Draws Scrutiny

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will investigate the planned five year data-retention period for a national motorist database. Privacy International filed an official complaint with the ICO after learning of Home Office plans to record and retain license plate, time and location data on up to 50 million drivers each day using a nationwide network of cameras. The network is set to be fully operation in about four months. In a statement, the ICO said: “Prolonged retention would need to be clearly justified based on continuing value not on the mere chance it may become useful.” [Source] [interview] [audio file]

KR – Korea Logs Highest Number of Network Security Breaches in August

Nearly half of all computer network security breaches in the world last month occurred in South Korea, an industry report showed Thursday, tarnishing the nation’s image as an information technology (IT) stronghold. A network monitoring survey conducted recently by AhnLab, the nation’s largest security solutions company, showed that 48% of all network security threats last month occurred in South Korea. South Korea was trailed by the United States and Japan, with 17% and 1%3, respectively. Hong Kong and India followed, with 7% and 5%, the report said. [Source]

US – Researchers Probe Heists Without Holdups

With a startling success rate, security researchers disguised as fire inspectors, exterminators or government safety monitors were able to slip past tellers in nearly 1,000 bank branches and steal confidential data about customers, according to a study released last week. Using little more than simple disguises, basic e-mail trickery and smooth talking, the researchers from Baton Rouge, La.-based TraceSecurity Inc. walked off with loan applications, laptops, backup tapes of customer databases and even big computer servers that they simply carried out the front door. What they were doing was perfectly legal: The firm was hired by mostly mid-sized banks and credit unions - which the company would not name - to evaluate their computer networks and physical security. Most of the branches had 10 or fewer employees on staff at the time they were duped. It was frighteningly effective: From 2003 to 2008, the researchers were able to compromise the banks’ security policies and make off with sensitive data 963 times - out of 1,000 total attempts. [Source]

CA – Right to Know Week Activities Announced

Right to Know Week Events in BC: http://www.oipcbc.org/RIGHT_TO_KNOW_2008.htm

Ontario: IPC Right To Know events: http://www.ipc.on.ca/index.asp?navid=91

HK – Hong Kong Hospital Authority to Invest Millions in Privacy

The Hospital Authority (HA) announced plans to spend HK$35 million over the next two years to better protect patients’ personal data. As part of the improvements, the chief executives of hospital clusters will become increasingly accountable for protecting patient data. In addition, the HA will establish a data security and privacy office to oversee privacy improvements such as staff awareness programs and the implementation of new technologies. The HA is acting on some of the 26 recommendations made by a task force formed after the loss of personal data on 16,000 patients in 10 separate incidents between April 2007 and May 2008. [Source] See also: [Seattle-based Healthcare Organization Agrees to Action Plan

to Address HIPAA Concerns | DHHS decision]

US – Countrywide Notifying Customers of Data Breach

Personally identifiable information of as many as 2 million Countrywide customers may have been sold by data thieves, according to the mortgage company. While there have been no reports of the information being used to commit identity fraud, Countrywide is offering two years of credit monitoring to affected customers. The data were allegedly stolen by a former Countrywide employee who downloaded approximately 20,000 customer records every week for two years. Each batch was allegedly sold for US $500, or about US 2.5 cents for each record. It appears that the data were sold to other mortgage brokers. [Source] [Source] Other breaches: [Insurance Office Employee Allegedly Used Customer Data to Open Accounts] [Cyber Thieves Hit UAE Bank Accounts]

KR – Customer Data Found on Discarded Disks

Two disks found in a trash pile near a Seoul, Korea subway station contain personal information of 11.1 million GS Caltex customers. GS Caltex is one of South Korea’s largest oil refineries. The information correlates to data gathered through the company’s bonus card membership sign-up; the bonus card gives customers discounts at filling stations. The card does not contain bank or credit card account information. GS Caltex said there is no evidence that their systems were breached by an outsider and suggested that it may have been an inside job. Arrest warrants have been issued for three GS Caltex employees. [Source] [Source]

WW – Pew Reports on Cloud Computing; Privacy Worries Linger

Cloud computing services are growing in popularity, but concerns about the privacy of personal data in the cloud environment exist, according to the findings of a Pew Internet and American Life project study. Ars Technica reports that although the study found the majority of Internet users have used cloud services for e-mail, photo storage and document backup, among other uses, 68 percent of respondents said they would be “very” concerned if providers analyzed their data to deliver targeted advertisements. Ari Schwartz of the Center for Democracy and Technology said the Fourth Amendment needs to be brought “into the twenty-first century,” to prevent the dilution of privacy protections as cloud computing gains prevalence. [Source] [PEW Report] [PDF]

WW – Zombie Networks Growing

According to statistics gathered by The Shadowserver Foundation, more than 450,000 personal computers are now part of zombie networks; three months ago, the number was just over 100,000. The Shadowserver Foundation believes the increase is due to the rising number of sites that have been manipulated to infect users’ machines through SQL injection attacks. While the number of compromised machines is rising, the number of command and control (C&C) servers is falling. The Shadowserver foundation is a group of volunteers from the professional security world. [Source] [Source] [Source] See also “Network Neutrality in 30 Seconds” Part 2 - “ISPs, Google, and a Hacksaw“ and “Network Neutrality in 30 Seconds” Part 1 - “Drowning the Competition“

US – Law Enforcement Needs Warrant to Access Stored Mobile Phone Company Data

The US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has upheld a lower court decision that says law enforcement officers must obtain a warrant based on probable cause to access mobile phone companies’ stored information that allows them to track a suspect’s past movements. Earlier cases have established that law enforcement authorities must have a warrant based on probable cause to be able to track phone users’ movements in real time. Prior to this case, however, “the government has routinely seized these [old] records without search warrants.” [Source] [Source] [Source] [Federal Court Decision, September 10, 2008]

US – Feds Set to Take Over Airline Watch List Checking, Again

In January 2003, the federal government proposed taking over the matching of airline passenger names against the government’s list of suspected terrorists, since too many innocent people were being caught up in bad matches by the airlines. In January 2009, the government plans to do just that, the Department of Homeland Security told Congress. The current system has been dogged for years by sloppy name matches that have snared Sen. Ted Kennedy, a high-powered nun, small children and for a time, all men named David Nelson. [Source]

WW – Google Tightens Data Retention Policy — Again

Under pressure from regulators, policymakers and privacy advocates around the world, Google said that it would further tighten its data retention policy. In its official blog, the company said it would “anonymize” search records after 9 months, rather than the current 18 months. Google has always kept logs of all queries conducted on its search engine, along with IP addresses — digital identifiers linking those searches to specific computers and Internet browsers. Before last year, Google’s retained those logs indefinitely. But in March of 2007, the company said it would begin anonymizing those logs after 18 months. Other search companies quickly followed suit, unveiling their own, more privacy-friendly policies. Google’s move of last March did not please all privacy advocates, and clearly, it was not enough to placate regulators, especially in Europe. In its blog post, Google said it adopted the tighter rules reluctantly, as data retention allows it to offer a better service for users. “While we’re glad that this will bring some additional improvement in privacy, we’re also concerned about the potential loss of security, quality, and innovation that may result from having less data,” the company said. And the company suggested that a further shortening of its data retention period would do little to protect users’ privacy. Chris Hoofnagle, a privacy expert and senior fellow at the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology said the new policy was in line with Google’s approach to privacy. “Google has a vision for privacy where individuals will not hesitate to share even sensitive personal information in exchange for access to good products and services,” he said. “Key to achieving that vision is the removal of consequences for liberal sharing of personal data. Shortening the identifiable storage time reduces the risk of unintended, unforeseen uses of the data.” [Source: NYT] [EU Officials Applaud Google’s Plans]

WW – Google Promises Privacy Fixes in Its Chrome Browser

Google, whose new, faster Web browser Chrome has raised privacy concerns on both sides of the Atlantic, said it was taking steps to mask the identities of people who use the tool. The move comes as privacy advocates expressed concern that the browser had the potential to give Google a way to track even more of users’ online behavior and create rich profiles of them. Jane Horvath, Google’s senior privacy counsel, said that the company would be anonymizing the IP address and the cookies that track users when they type search terms or Web pages into Chrome’s Omnibox, an all-in-one search and address bar. She said Google also would anonymize the IP addresses associated with search queries typed in by users into Google’s standard search bar nine months after they have been collected. But Google, which already dominates the Internet search and online advertising fields, still needs to be more forthcoming about its data collection practices, privacy advocates said. “My main concern is the ability to collect users’ Web addresses, and therefore your complete surfing on the Web could be tracked,” Germany’s data protection commissioner, Peter Schaar, said of Chrome. “The Web is, in fact, a second life. A virtual mirror of one’s real life, with information about one’s interests, activities, perhaps sexual orientation.” Schaar said that his office began an inquiry into the browser to determine whether Google was collecting and correlating personal data in violation of German data protection law. Google’s Chrome is set up by default to collect about 2 percent of all keystrokes typed into its Omnibox – whether Web page addresses or search terms, Horvath said. 1% is comprised of all the keystrokes for 1% of computer users selected randomly, each day, she said. Google also collects 1% of all the keystrokes typed into the Omnibox each day. She said that the data collected may be retained “forever” to help Google refine its ability to suggest Web pages the user is seeking. But, she said, the IP address and cookie – a string of numbers that can be used to track a computer user online – associated with the data will be anonymized so that “there will be no way to connect it back to the individual.” The exact method of anonymization had not been settled upon yet. [Source] [Source] See also: [How To Erase Your Tracks Online]

WW – Mozilla Plans Privacy Mode

Mozilla has revived efforts to incorporate a privacy mode into its browser and will likely release one in Firefox 3.1, which is expected to go to beta next month. Like other privacy-sensitive browser options released recently, Firefox 3.1 will neither collect cookies, nor will it retain a history of sites visited. Data from the browser’s download manager will be scrubbed at the end of each session. Mozilla had planned to release a privacy mode in the 3.0 version of Firefox released this past June, but those plans were delayed due to other pressing modifications. [Source] [Source]

WW – Q&A with Commissioner Cavoukian

Facebook and Ontario privacy commissioner Ann Cavoukian have been collaborating for two years on ways to help users protect their privacy. Recently they took their collaboration to a new level, creating a video on the topic. The 10-minute video aims to educate some of the site’s 100 million users on “the five Ps,” and takes viewers through Facebook’s privacy settings. “I just want people to make conscious decisions about what they post on their profile,” Cavoukian said last week at the youth privacy conference in Toronto. Itbusiness.com sat down with the commissioner to discuss default privacy settings, employers’ use of the site and more. Read the full interview here. [Source]

WW – Facebook to Test Web Safety Icon

Facebook, the popular social-networking web site that agreed to step up user protections following talks with 48 U.S. attorneys general this spring, has become the largest site to display an icon designed to make cyber abuses easier to report. Facebook will test the effectiveness of the “Report Abuse!” icon developed by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office for six months. Under the agreement, Facebook will display the icon on at least 1.5 million web pages during the testing period, and will report monthly on how the icon performs compared to Facebook’s existing reporting links. [Source]

NZ – Shroff Reappointed

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff will serve another five years as the nation’s privacy commissioner. In announcing the appointment, Associate Justice Minister Lianne Dalziel said that Shroff has been highly effective in her first term, which began in September 2003. “Shroff has strategic leadership skills and broad experience across a range of policy areas,” Dalziel said. As privacy commissioner, Shroff is responsible for promoting and protecting individual privacy through investigating and resolving complaints, issuing policy, and reporting on privacy matters, among other duties. [Source]

VM – Vietnamese Pre-paid Phone Subscribers Must Now Divulge Personal Information

Pre-paid mobile phone users must register personal information; including name, birth date and ID or passport number, before July 2009, six months earlier than the previous deadline of December, said Le Nam Thang, deputy Minister of Information and Communication last Wednesday. Pre-paid subscribers nationwide have been sending registration information, by SMS to 1414, or by registering online or at telecom company offices since the move was announced in January. About 50% of subscribers have registered so far. [Source]

US – Privacy ‘08 Campaign Launched

Privacy is not top of mind for the Democratic and Republican candidates for president, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Libertarian candidate for president Bob Barr, citing the absence of any discussion of privacy issues at the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Barr spoke at the launch of EPIC’s Privacy ‘08 campaign, which aims to bring privacy issues to the forefront of debate, reports PC World. “We need to have this debate,” said EPIC executive director Mark Rotenberg. Barr wants the next president to temper government surveillance of U.S. residents and to limit organizations’ use of personal data. [Source] See also: [Privacy is not a major issue in US presidential race] and also: [Digital issues deserve a spot in election campaign: Geist]

US – Iowa County Officials Planned to Sell Data

An organization made up of county officials in Iowa has admitted that it was negotiating with Data Tree for access to county mortgage records and other documents that contain personally identifiable information of Iowa residents. IowaLandRecord.org, the organization, had planned to sell Data Tree its database and updates in the future for US $11,750 a month. The officials agreed to hold off on the deal when state legislators became concerned about the situation. The site is maintained by the Iowa County Recorders Associations. The site has been inaccessible since last week, shortly after the issue was made public in The Des Moines Register. The site is estimated to hold more than 10 million records. [Source] [Source]

US – IT Managers Fear Job Loss

A recent study of 159 IT managers revealed that more than half believe that a leak of confidential data could cost them their job. 56% of those surveyed believe that data leakage could get them fired, while 74% of 158 employees polled also feel that losing company data could result in job loss. IBRS analyst James Turner said that business owners, not IT management, should bear the blame in the event of a breach. [Source]

EU – French Citizens Oppose Massive Database

French citizens and some government officials are voicing their opposition to Edvige, a police database that will store vast amounts of personal information about anyone over the age of 13 who is “likely to breach public order.” Edvige, which has been called “Sarkozy’s Big Sister” and an “electronic Bastille,” would store a wide range of data, including people’s opinions, circle of friends, sexual orientation, ethnic origins and financial information. The government maintains that the database is merely an updated, centralized version of information that has already been gathered for many years. [Source] [Source] [Source] [Source] [Source]

UK – Police Quiz British Telecome on Secret Phorm Trials

City of London police questioned BT earlier this week as part of a probe into the covert wiretapping and profiling of the internet use of tens of thousands of BT customers during tests of Phorm’s adware system. Officers have been examining the dossier of evidence handed to police by campaigners following the 16 June protest against BT’s planned full deployment of Phorm’s technology. It included the internal documents detailing the 2006 trial. There’s no indication as to whether formal proceedings will be brought. Considerations will include whether it falls within City of London police’s remit to investigate crimes that affect the residents or workers of London’s financial district, and whether charges would be proportionate and in the public interest. [Source] See also: [Foundation for Information Policy Research’s legal counsel Analysis] [Home office’s advice obtained by BT] [Phorm petititon] [European Commission is pursuing its own investigation of Phorm’s technology and BT’s trials | Announcement]

US – Surveillance Cameras a Boon to Crime Fighting in Newark

Mayor Cory booker has deployed 111 surveillance cameras around the city as part of his goal to drastically reduce the rate of violent crime. The cameras are strategically placed in areas known to experience greater levels of crime. Some privacy advocates have expressed concern with the idea of public surveillance, saying, “The costs are high, and the benefits in terms of law enforcement are low.” Newark’s program has impressed organizations enough that they are moving facilities into Newark, where the rents are half what they are in nearby Manhattan. Murders in the city are down 40 percent over last year and shootings are down 19 percent. More than 100 arrests have been made based on videotaped evidence. The city has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to establish parameters to protect citizens’ privacy, including not allowing cameras to look inside people’s homes and storing the recorded images for no more than 30 days. [Source]

UK – Tracesmart Granted Access to Death Registration Information

Tracesmart has been granted access to receive death registration information by the General Register Office. The fraud prevention firm said pension schemes will be able to use the information to scan members to prevent benefits being drawn after a member has died. Schemes will also be able to update personal information such as addresses from the data. Tracesmart said it is the first company in the UK to be given access to such information. [Source] See also: [Footnote, A Social Network To Help Us Remember The Dead]

US – Profiles For Your Eyes Only: Social Networking for Spies

A social networking site has been created for use solely by US intelligence agencies. Called A-Space, the site was designed to allow analysts to share information, to “think out loud, think in public amongst their peers.” The site, which is scheduled to launch on September 22, will be on the US government’s Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. It will be available only to members of the intelligence agencies, and will be monitored by a system designed to recognize anomalous behavior to catch potential infiltrators. [Source] [Source]

US – Senators Introduce 2008 Federal Information Security Management Act

US Senators Tom Carper (D-Delaware) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Connecticut) have introduced Senate bill 3474, the 2008 Federal Information Security Management Act. Among the bill’s provisions is a requirement that federal agencies appoint chief information security officers; the CISOs would have the authority to block network access if established security policies are not being adhered to. The bill would also require that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conduct annual tests to determine if attackers could access sensitive government data. Senator Carper noted that the current Federal Information Security Management Act is an exercise in paperwork rather than an effective means of determining the security of federal computer networks. [Source] [Source]

US – Proposed Calif. Law Would Impose Security Requirements on Retailers

The Consumer Data Protection Act (AB 1656) that is now before California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would require businesses to provide more information about data breaches when they occur, but would also impose specific requirements on businesses for protecting customers’ financial data. The latter is a controversial idea; Gartner analyst Avivah Litan notes that while the government can impose breach disclosure regulations, “it’s totally inappropriate for a state to mandate security controls.” Lobbyists are more optimistic that this version of the bill will pass now that a provision that would have required retailers to bear the cost of replacing cards affected by breaches has been removed. [Source]

US – No ‘Legitimate’ Privacy Expectation in Data on Office Computer, Court Says

An employee has no reasonable expectation of privacy in personal files stored on a company-owned computer and an employer’s consent makes a police search lawful, an appeals court says in a ruling of first impression in New Jersey. The Aug. 29 ruling affirms a former bookkeeper’s conviction of stealing over $650,000 in electronic fund transfers, records of which were found through warrantless searches of the laptop and desktop computers he used at work. “We conclude ... that neither the law nor society recognize as legitimate defendant’s subjective expectation of privacy in a workplace computer he used to commit a crime,” Judge Marie Simonelli wrote for the three-judge panel in State v. M.A., A-4922-06. [Source]

US – Pre-Employment Checks Grow

Twenty percent of companies surveyed by Careerbuilder.com said they check job candidates’ social networking profiles before making an offer of employment. Of those surveyed who do not check such profiles, nine percent said they would begin reviewing them in the future. The study revealed that while 24% of employers have hired a job candidate based on their profile, 33% cited a social networking profile as having been the reason not to hire a potential staffer. Those employers cited “inappropriate” or “provocative” photographs and drug or alcohol use as popular reasons not to hire. [Source] [Globe & Mail compiles biographies from Facebook]

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